Conference to focus on immigration law enforcement

FOLEY, Ala. (WALA) - Alabama's controversial immigration law is a hot topic at the Alabama’s Sheriff’s conference which kicked off  in Orange Beach Monday.

It’s now up to officers to figure out how to enforce what’s being called the toughest law in the US.

Immigration on the hot plate

Sheriffs from across the state of Alabama will spend the next three days in Orange Beach. The summer conference is an annual event and this year the looming immigration law is the highlight.

That law is currently stuck in Federal court awaiting a decision on its constitutionality.

Baldwin County Sheriff "Hoss" Mack said, “We’re waiting to see if there will be a final determination on the Alabama case.”

Mack is hosting the Sheriff’s convention. He said his deputies are being trained to enforce the immigration law however it’s written.

“We enforce the laws of the state of Alabama. When we make contact and that person is arrested or taken into custody, we were already checking their immigration status,” Mack said.

What is "reasonable suspicion"?

The most controversial part of the law is the “reasonable suspicion” clause.

It directs law enforcement to check immigration status during routine traffic stops if they have reasonable suspicion that a person is in the country illegally.

Escambia County Sheriff Grover Smith said, “Well the one thing you never want to do is abuse your authority and this law has some areas where you can do so.”

Smith said the immigration law puts law enforcement in a bad position: between politics and policy.

He’s even received a message from a federal prosecutor in the justice department. He said the prosecutor told him that if they violate anyone's civil rights "he's going to prosecute us to the fullest extent possible."

“They seem to be angry about the law Alabama passed. What he doesn’t understand or refuses to understand is that we didn’t pass it, but we raised our right hands and swore to God we’d enforce the law,” Smith said.

Much confusion; few actual problems

The one thing the sheriffs agree on is the amount of time they’re spending on this law is out of proportion to the actually problem they have with illegal aliens.

Mobile County Sheriff Sam Cochran said, “It’s good politics for people to argue back and forth, but the reality of it is that we’re still doing our job everyday arresting people who are committing offenses and trying to do our best to keep the citizens safe.”

That’s what the sheriffs don’t want to be lost as the immigration debate continues.